Plant extracts have a big future in the feed industry: EW Nutrition president

Speaking with FeedNavigator at the recent IPPE show in Atlanta, Mark Richards, president of EW Nutrition USA, said that the antibiotic issue is, “raising its ugly head in the US and the feed industry is looking for alternatives”​.

 “Only a handful of good companies are looking at this,”​ said Richards, “and we see this as a key driver in the growth promoter market.”​

The company’s active​ branded product line is a key performer in its portfolio. Richards said the line was a blend of 15 plant extracts with synergistic effects.

“These molecules called secondary plant compounds or phytobiotics have been used successfully for thousands of years in human and animal medicine,”​ states the company on its website.

“A growing number of studies proved that certain essential oil components and herbal extracts, when used like growth promoters, also improve sanitary quality of animal production.”​

Indeed, Richards said that the proprietary blend of raw materials like cinnamon, cineol, capsaicin and carvacrol has been the subject of numerous studies.

The company also microencapsulates the extracts, thereby protecting them during pelleting, extrusion, and passage through the stomach.

Probiotics​

The company also owns a range of probiotics, although these currently rank around #4 or #5 in its portfolio. There is increasing interest in the friendly bacteria, and, “probiotics are on the mind of the big integrators”​, said Richards.